30 Sunny Smiles
by Wild Tempest
Summary: 30 Day OTP Challenge wherein Reiji is a sly little pervert and Haruka rolls with the punches like a real trooper. Day #4: On a Date - During a trip to the beach, Reiji takes Haruka to a special spot he and his mother used to frequent. Once there, Haruka is told just how much Reiji cares for her and who she reminds him of.
1. Holding Hands

Haruka watched her friends laughing and enjoying themselves around the skating rink. It warmed her from the inside out to see them having such a good time, but she also felt cowardly for sitting off to the side. She tried skating with Natsuki and Syo at her sides, but that ended in a nasty three-way crash. Then Ren and Masato tried to help her, but all they _really _did was argue about whose teaching techniques were more effective. It was better if she just observed from the sidelines…

Across the rink, Reiji was the only one who noticed her melancholy. He casually skated out of the rink and sat beside her on the bench. "What're you doing all by yourself, Haru-chan?"

The composer glanced up and forced a smile. "I'm just…resting for a moment. That's all."

"You've been _resting _for a while now," Reiji added, smiling wryly back at her. "If you're embarrassed about the spill you took earlier then you should see Ran-Ran! He's _way _worse than you are!" He laughed and leaned back on his hands.

Haruka's fake grin faltered and a nervous sigh escaped her.

Reiji's smile flipped into a frown almost immediately. His attempt at a joke only worsened her insecurity. He sat up and put his arm around her shoulders, reassuring her, "Look, what I meant to say was, everyone starts out somewhere. If you don't get up and try every time you fall then you'll never learn, right?"

"People laughed, though. I looked so silly out there," Haruka murmured as her head sagged lower.

"Then laugh with 'em!" exclaimed the older idol, squeezing her shoulders against his. His heart rapidly palpitated when Haruka cast a hopeful glance his way. He felt blood creep into his cheeks because of her unexpected anticipation. "You know, it does look silly when others fall like that! Just laugh it off and get right back up!"

STARISH's composer turned her eyes towards the rink again. Uncertainty flickered in them. "I…I just get so anxious and worked up when people stare at me and…"

"What if we fall together?" Reiji suggested with a widening grin. Wobbling to his feet, he offered Haruka his hand. "Come on, I'll teach you! Ne?"

His enthusiasm and smile were irresistable. Haruka knew that a million girls would _kill _to receive private lessons of any kind from Reiji. This was too golden an opportunity to pass up.

"Here. Hold my hands, okay?" The older idol twined his fingers around hers. He stood directly behind her as they pushed off together, supporting her clumsy weight with his. They skated two laps around the rink when Reiji decided to praise his student. He leaned over her shoulder and whispered, "See? You're doing great."

Haruka jerked suddenly, her heart racing because of such close contact with the idol. Fear, embarrassment, and adoration churned her stomach. Her legs gave way and she fell backwards into Reiji, causing him to careen out of control in turn. Both hit the polished surface of the rink with a loud thud.

"K-K-Kotobuki-senpai?!" shrieked Haruka, barely able to speak.

They landed in an _awkward _position; Reiji sprawled on the rink's floor with the cute redhead straddling him above. His legs spread, her sitting on his abdomen like that…

Reiji burst out laughing and held her tightly against his chest, keeping her from getting up.

"W-What are you doing?! People are staring at us!" exclaimed the poor girl trapped in his embrace, flopping around like a beached mermaid.

"Isn't it hilarious how we landed, though?! Pfft! I'd be staring too!"

Haruka narrowed her eyes and stopped floundering for a moment. "Kotobuki-senpai, _please_…"

Reiji flashed a predatory grin in her direction and cooed, "I don't know if I have the strength to stand again, Haru-chan…I think I hurt my back…" He attempted to rise but faltered and uttered a distinct 'ouch' after. "Would you help me get up?"

"_Yes_…Just let go of me…" muttered the composer. Her cheeks burned brighter than ever.

Reiji relaxed his arms, allowing Haruka freedom to stand on her knees. She fisted his jacket and pulled as hard as she could. Reiji took full advantage of her 'strength' and pushed his lips into hers briefly, eliciting a gasp.

Haruka's mouth was agape with shock and embarrassment. "S-Senpai?!"

The older idol sprang to his feet after and offered his hand down to her, grinning like a scheming feline. "Ready for another go?"

* * *

_Notes: _Morikubo Showtaro is one of my all-time favorite seiyuu; I'm not exaggerating or anything. He's been in the biz for a while now, and I respect/admire him greatly for his work. Hopefully I'll be able to complete this 30-Day challenge this time. :)


	2. Cuddling Somewhere

Reiji _hated _cold, starless winter skies. Nights like those compelled him to sit outside of the dorms in his car, reminiscing on fatal mistakes while he smoked a couple of cigarettes. Ranmaru often accused him of being masochistic to a fault; he hid behind a carefree smile and a false sense of confidence that shattered whenever someone mentioned his former friend's name: Kisaragi Aine.

So here he was, sitting in the driver's seat with his arm hanging out the window and a cigarette dangling from his lips. He whispered _awful _things between drags: self-loathing cheap shots that were sure to cause lasting damage. But that's the way he liked it. That's what he deserved.

"We _will _win that award, and you _will _compose songs for us from then on. Count on it."

Reiji squinted into his rear view mirror and spotted a pair of kids standing near the school pond a few yards away. His eyes widened when he noticed that one of them was Haruka, and the other was a stranger, grabbing her arm suddenly.

The punk kid smiled and drew her closer. "Your talents are wasted on them anyway. You'd be much better off with us."

Haruka drew her lips into a thin, grim line and she shook her head. "You're wrong about everything." She yelped when he pulled her into his arms. "L-Let go of me! I'll…I'll scream!"

"Do you _really _want me to let go?" taunted the boy, eyes glinting through his glasses. "Huh?" He turned when someone clapped a hand on his shoulder from behind. A fist slammed into his left cheek and sent him reeling to the ground. Haruka shrieked and backed away from him, looking up at her rescuer…

"Didn't you hear the lady right?" Reiji stepped into the golden light of a street lamp and thumbed over his shoulder. "Be a good boy and run along before I _really _get pissed. Ne?" He smiled as he usually did, energetic and nonchalant. The sight, coupled with his harsh warning, frightened both Haruka and her attacker.

The younger man stood up and dusted himself off, retrieving his fallen glasses from the lawn. "Remember what I said, Nanami. We will – "

Reiji popped his knuckles and interjected in a low voice, still smiling, "This is your last chance."

With an indignant huff, the intruder conceded defeat and casually walked towards the school's main gate, right off the grounds.

"Kotobuki-senpai, I…" Haruka's voice trailed off.

"It's all right now," he reassured her, still watching the stranger walk down the street. After he was out of sight, Reiji turned to Haruka and pat her head. "Did he hurt you?"

The redhead sighed. "No. I'm okay…"

"_No. I'm okay, really. You have to focus on your work and stop worrying about me, ne?"_

"Haru-chan, if something is bothering you…"

"_Don't make that kind of face. I like it best when you smile. See? Like this."_

A tempest raged inside of the idol's heart as he approached the girl and put his arms around her suddenly, holding her so tight he almost squeezed the air right out of her lungs. "Then you should tell someone. Don't let others worry about you."

"If this is what lies on the road ahead then maybe I shouldn't become a composer…"

"_Then maybe I shouldn't be an idol."_

Oh God, please don't –

"_I'm sorry for troubling you all the time."_

Please don't, Aine –

"_It's better this way."_

I'll miss you. We'll miss you. It won't be the same without –

_The number you've dialed has been disconnected. Please hang up and try again._

Reiji's fakery crumbled to dust that instant. He collapsed to his knees, still holding Haruka, and th tears refused to stop. Years of emotional turbulence, hatred, regret, and unresolved grief burst through the dam in his heart. All he could do was hold Haruka and sob, burying his face in her hair.

"I'm sorry, Kotobuki-senpai. I…" Haruka lifted her hands and stroked his back. "I won't keep any secrets anymore. I…didn't know you cared so much about me. I…"

Reiji shook his head and interrupted her, "No, no, no. It's all right, Haru-chan." He breathed heavily and a tiny smile ghosted over his lips in the darkness. "I'm sorry you had to see something like that. Heh. Pretty lame, huh?"

"No," she disagreed with him immediately. Her arms moved to fully embrace him and she stroked his hair like a small child in need of affection. "Because I care about _you too_. We shouldn't keep things from the people we love, right?"

_Love?_

It was time to tell the story and relinquish the multitude of emotions he harbored against himself for so long…

It was _finally _time to lay Aine's memory to rest.


	3. Gaming

"Aw, man!" Otoya groaned and dropped his game controller when he saw the dreaded "Winner" screen flash across the TV. "Geez, senpai. I didn't know you were a Mario Kart champion…"

Reiji's huge grin stretched into his ears and he beamed back, "Don't take it too hard, Otoyan~ I'm sure you'll be just as good as me if not more so in a few years! You're pretty good yourself!"

Tokiya looked up from his boring book and interjected, "He's not _that _good. Just last week he lost ten races in a row to – "

"Thanks for the compliment, senpai! M-Maybe you could give me some pointers, ne?" Otoya interrupted his roommate, surprising both older men with his sudden outburst.

The maraca player wagged his finger and chided, "Now, now, Otoyan. It's not nice to interrupt others when they're trying to speak." Mischief sparkled in his dark eyes as he turned to his older junior. "You were saying, Toki? _Who _creamed our Otoyan again?"

"Nanami."

Reiji sputtered with laughter. "Seriously?"

"Tokiya!" wailed the redhead, throwing his hands up in the air. "You weren't supposed to tell anyone! Y-You promised!"

His sly roommate smiled and feigned innocence. "Did I?" He chuckled lightly and noticed Reiji whip out his phone, hurrying to text someone. "You're not actually going to…?"

"Challenge Nanami-san?" Otoya finished, earning himself a scowl from Tokiya.

Reiji nodded and stood up to get a better signal within their dorm room, moving towards the door. "What better way to spend a boring evening? Besides, I may just score a free kiss~"

"Hmph. I might've known," scoffed the blue-haired idol behind him, returning to his textbook. He caught Otoya staring at him from across the way, pleading with him to do something. "Don't you have a term paper to write?"

The guitarist's eyes widened. "Oh crap! I forgot all about it!" He scrambled off the carpet and to his desk by the window, opening his laptop cover. "Ringo-sensei's gonna kill me if I don't hand this in on time…"

Tokiya's searing gaze settled next on Reiji. "And shouldn't you be setting a better example for us?"

"Toki, Toki, Toki…" The maraca player sighed and ambled behind the sofa, patting his junior's shoulder sympathetically. "If you don't quit acting like an _old lady _then you'll age horribly. See?" He tugged on the teen's cheek. "You're getting wrinkles already~"

Tokiya swatted at his senior's hand and grumbled, "I heard that giggle, Otoya…"

"S-Sorry, Tokiya. Pbbt…I…Ha!" Otoya exploded into a full fit of laughter despite his best efforts. Reiji joined in with him, teasing Tokiya with names like 'Granny' while pulling on his cheeks. As proud as he was, Tokiya just sat there and took it; he buried his attention in his book instead.

A soft knock came at the door, but the guys were absorbed in Tokiya's torment, so they didn't hear it. After another series of knocks, the door knob twisted and Haruka peered into the room.

"May I come in?" she asked quietly, poking out from behind the door.

"Haru-chan!" sang Reiji, abandoning his cranky junior on the sofa to greet her. He opened the door wider and waved her inside, offering her a cushion on the carpet. He sat beside her and picked up his controller. "I heard that you're the Mario Kart Queen!"

Haruka laughed and blushed a bit. "Queen?" She lifted her controller off the carpet. "I'm not _that _good."

"Don't be so modest!" clamored the older idol, scooting closer to her. "You beat Otoyan ten to nothing last week, and I taught him everything I know! You _are _good!" The game started up and they selected their characters. Reiji looked over at his opponent and hummed, "So, how about a friendly wager? Y'know, to liven things up?"

Instead of shrinking away, Haruka smiled and nodded. "That sounds like fun. What will we bet?"

Their characters and other computer-controlled adversaries lined up at the starting point. A Lakitu hovered down with a traffic light, and the race's countdown began just as Reiji suggested, "The loser has to kiss the winner~ Ne?"

"K-Kiss?!" Otoya choked and glanced over his shoulder.

"He said that almost fifteen minutes ago, Otoya…" Tokiya muttered and flipped to the next page in his book. "You could at least _try _to keep up."

The guitarist pursed his lips. "I-I…I was distracted! That's all…" He carried his laptop across the room and sat on the sofa beside Tokiya, typing while he watched the big race begin. "Don't underestimate her, senpai!"

Reiji didn't have a chance to underestimate the girl. She breezed past him in the first lap of the race and kept him busy with strategically placed traps in the second. He caught up to Haruka in the last leg of the race, and for a moment he thought he had a chance…until she hit a speed stripe and whizzed across the finish line before him.

"Damn…" breathed Reiji, dumbfounded.

Tokiya snickered behind him, "Lighten up, senpai~ It's just a kiss, right?"

"Do I still get one, Kotobuki-senpai? I mean, if you don't want to then – "

Otoya quickly interjected, "No! He lost so he _has _to pay up! Ne, senpai?" He clapped a hand over his mouth to stifle a giggle.

"_We're waiting._" A satisfied grin thinned Tokiya's lips. He closed his book and set it aside, intent on reveling in his senior's humiliation for as long as he could. "Well?"

Reiji glanced between Haruka and his devious juniors, at a loss for words. "You guys're right. I lost, so…!" Shivers ran along his spine when Haruka gently tugged on his t-shirt, beckoning him closer with a blush on her face. "I, uh…"

Otoya's jaw dropped. "Holy crap…"

Blood trickled out of Reiji's nose as he leaned down and gave in to his 'Queen's' demands, sliding his lips over hers. Strange flavors from Reiji's cigarettes, Haruka's lip gloss, and their raw saliva mingled into something _addictive_. It wasn't long before Reiji dominated the kiss, wrapping his arms around the back of Haruka's head and her waist.

"Gyagh!" Reiji squeaked in surprise when a pillow hit him in head. He leered back at Tokiya. "What's wrong, Toki? I thought you _wanted _to watch us?"

Otoya still watched them, blood dribbling from his nose. "B-B…I-I…Da-Da…"

"You don't have to be so disgusting about it. An innocent kiss is fine, but that…" Tokiya's scowl deepened and he huffed, "Take _that _elsewhere. I'm not interested in watching anymore."

"Eek! Kotobuki-senpai…!" Haruka squealed as the older idol swept her into his arms suddenly and stood up. "Where are we…?!"

Reiji looked directly at Tokiya and smirked. "Some place _private_."

Otoya fell off the sofa after they left the room, floundering in a puddle of his own blood. His composure slowly returned and he scaled the cushions to collapse beside his roommate. "Do you think they'll…?"

"_Don't," _grumbled the other boy, returning to his book.

Otoya pushed the book down some and gasped, "Ehh?! Tokiya's blushing too?!"

Fed up, Tokiya lifted his book so close to his face that his nose touched the page. He murmured under his breath, "I am _not _blushing…"


	4. On a Date

"Ahh~ I _love _the beach!" Reiji inhaled deeply and stretched his arms high above his head. He glanced down at his grumpy band mate and nudged him in the side. "Ne, Ran-Ran? Isn't it great to finally be on vacation?"

The bassist lowered his sunglasses and snapped, "It'd be even _greater _if you left me the hell alone. I'm trying to catch some Z's here…" Ignoring Reiji's pouty expression, he replaced his glasses and leaned back in his chair. "Go bug one of the kids or something."

Reiji opened his mouth to smart off, but abruptly halted when he saw Haruka walk by. His eyebrows raised high into his forehead, and his plump frown thinned into a catty grin.

"Haru-chan! Wait up!" he called to her and ran over. "Did those good-for-nothing juniors of mine make you carry the cooler? Here, let me take that."

Haruka rewarded him with a sunny smile. "Thank you, Kotobuki-senpai."

"Ehh? We've known each other for more than six months and you're _still _being formal with me?" The idol sighed and placed the cooler beside the picnic table. His shoulders slumped and he whimpered, "I thought we were closer than that, but – "

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt your feelings by it, I just…" The redhead's voice trailed off.

Reiji spun around and took her hands in his. Feigning hurt emotions was a tactic that had yet to fail him. "You can call me 'Rei-chan' like everyone else!"

"Okay, ah…_Rei-chan_."

Hearing her say it had more of an impact than Reiji thought. He squeezed her hands lightly and begged her, "Would you say it again?"

Haruka laughed. "Do you like hearing it that much?"

"Only when _you _say it," whispered the older idol with a soft smile. His eyes flitted beyond the beach and up a small embankment suddenly. "Say, Haru-chan, would you go on a date with me?"

The composer's laughter screeched to a halt, choked by his strange inquiry. She frantically glanced around to make sure no one heard him, and then scolded him, "You know we can't do that sort of thing. We'd both get into trouble with the Headmaster and – "

Reiji's fingers silenced her, pressing against her lips. "It's okay. No one needs to know, ne?" He turned towards the ridge just ahead and pointed, explaining, "There's something I want to show you, but we'll have to sneak away for a minute. We might as well call it a date, ne?"

"Oh, all right…" murmured Haruka, casting her gaze into the sand to hide her blush. "But we shouldn't linger. If anyone finds out we're missing, then they might suspect something."

Reiji simply nodded and held her hand in his, leading her to the rocky path behind a grove of trees. It was almost as lush as a forest.

"I used to come to this beach with my mom and sister during summer vacation. I looked forward to it every year," he told her while they strolled up the winding, ruddy road. "It's just like I remember it."

A pair of bluebirds flew overhead and landed in a tree just up ahead. They twittered and preened each other's feathers, sneaking affectionate nuzzles between. Reiji's grip tightened around Haruka's hand and he chuckled.

"You know what they say about bluebirds, ne?"

Haruka returned his sweet gesture, squeezing his fingers. "I-If a couple sees a pair of bluebirds then it means their union is blessed with happiness everlasting. My Grandma used to tell me that…She and my Grandpa saw a pair on their first date…" When she realized whats he said, Haruka snapped her head up and retracted, "I-I mean…! Oh God, that sounded weird…I-I'm sorry, Rei-chan, I – "

"Ha! Actually, I thought it was cute~" Reiji stopped beneath the large tree that the bluebirds landed in, and lifted her hand to kiss her fingers. "Your grandparents mean a lot to you, and I understand that; I feel the same about my mom and sister." He turned her towards the sun and outstretched his free hand. "_This _is what I wanted to show you."

Sunlight sparkled on the ocean's reflective surface in the distance, stretching into eternity. Vivid hues of orange, yellow, pink and violet splashed across the sky's vast canvas. The moon barely shone amid the glorious display, heralding eventide.

"It's beautiful…" breathed Haruka, mesmerized.

Reiji adopted an unusually thoughtful tone as he explained, "Like I said, I used to come up here with my mom and sister every summer." His grip loosened on Haruka's hand suddenly. "This is where my mom and dad met, too. After he left, mom couldn't watch the sunset without breaking down in tears…I wanted so much to see her smile while watching it again."

Haruka stayed silent, but her hand affirmed his sorrow, embracing his.

"So I promised mom that I would bring my girlfriend up here one day, and that we'd watch the sunset together with smiles. I hope I can take you to meet her someday, Haru-chan." Reiji turned away from the magnificent scenery overlooking the ridge to study his date's reaction. She looked directly at him, smiling warmly and sincerely. "You know, you kinda remind me of mom. She's sweet and quiet, and a little shy sometimes. Maybe…"

Haruka piped up hopefully, "Y-Yes, Rei-chan?" She gasped slightly as Reiji drew her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

"Maybe that's why I like you so much, ne?" he whispered to her, winking.


End file.
